Scaffolding suspension



E. L. LOOMIS SCAFFOLDING SUSPENS ION Aug. 22, 1939.

Filed Jan. 31, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 22, 1939. E. LoomisSCAFFOLDING SUSPENSION 5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 31, 1938 PatentedAug. 22, 1939 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 17 Claims.

This invention relates to scaffolding suspension.

It is an object to provide means for suspending a scalfold, especially,for example, one such 5 as painters use, so that it can with relativeease be set into position to support men for working on a wall of abuilding, and so that, when once set, it can be moved over the entirelength and height of that wall without a re-setting of its supports.

To this end the invention utilizes the track and trolley type ofsuspension; and it provides improvements whereby the track is applicablefor ample support in a simple manner by any roof; that is, by a roofwhich is level or of any ordinary pitch, and which has any ordinary typef roof surface. The track will rest on the roof approximately over theWall on which the work is to be done, without cantilever or out-riggerconstruction, and without the necessity that the roof be` provided withany permanent brackets or other means for attachment.

It is a feature that the individual parts which require to be handledfor the installing are light, and can be handled easily both for theinstalling and for their removal; that the suspension can be madewithout injuring the roof; and that there is ample safeguard againstinjury to any person `through failure of the apparatus. The facilitywith which the stage can be moved to any part of the wall, bymanipulation from the stage itself, saves hours of time. It eliminatesthe need of workmen coming down, and climbing again to the roof, andmoving their tackle and its supports to a fresh location for gettinginto position to work on an adjoining section' of wall. Also, in thecase of painting, it facilitates better eXecution of the work, bypermitting the painting to continue horizontally at each level, freshlyand uniformly without the diversity which results when a period ofdrying intervenes before the next adjoining section is painted.

Apparatus embodying the invention can be used either for a long staging,suspended on two supports; or for each individual painter to oper-Aateon a light separate support like a boatswains chair. In case of a,house with pitch roof the same track and trolley which is used on theside of the house can also be used along the steep of the roof at thegable ends. On it the painter can get up close to the peak, and canfollow down the coping, all the way to the corner of the building, thusavoiding laps in the painting.

With the attaining of the essential, that the apparatus involved shallbe safe for those who use it, the invention combines the attaining ofthe further useful objectives that the apparatus shall be simple inconstruction; inexpensive to manufacture; easy to set up and to operate;and yet, notwithstanding its light weight, be thoroughly strong andpractical.

The specific combination of elements by which the above and otheradvantageous results are accomplished includes a light truncatedtriangular wooden sleeper or sill, made in sections to l0 be coupledtogether endwise, and to rest directly on the normal surface of theroof. On this sill lies a round-topped rail adapted for endwisecontinuity with similar rails on other sections, on which is to run atrolley having grooved wheels. For ordinary use the sill may be of lightwood with cross section having a 221/2 angle; and the rail may be ofordinary iron gas pipe. Ridge ties or other suitable fastenings can keepthis sill from slipping off the edge of the roof, tackle with end blockscan move the trolley as far as the rail extends; and a latch can anchorthe trolley anywhere along the line.

rI'he suspension of scaffolding from the trolley is by a stiff U-bow,set on its side; so that its top limb, having its end secure on thetrolley, projects outward to beyond the edge of roof and eaves trough;its bowl drops down to a level below the eaves; and its lower limb runsin to a location which preferably is directly under the trolley, andholds the tackle by which the scaffold is suspended. With the parts thusindicated there are combined other structural features, and otherfeatures providing for safety, which will appear from the descriptionwhich follows, and from the accompanying drawings. The drawingsillustrate one embodiment of the invention, to which, however, thepatent is not limited.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression inthe appended claims,what rever features of patentable novelty exist inthe invention disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings: 5

Figure 1 is a face elevation of an end section of track, with trolleyand staging hanger thereon;

Figure 2 is a side elevation, the view being endwise of the trolley andtrack and being in section through the sleeper and rail thereon;

Figure 3 is a plan of the end section seen in Figure 1 showing sleeper,rail, trolley and hanger, and brackets for holding the sleeper on theroof;

Figure 4, on a larger scale, shows more clearly parts as they are seenin Figure 2 but as applied on a roof having steeper pitch;

Figure 5 is an isometric general View showing the apparatus applied to aroof of low pitch having asphalt flexible shingles; and

Figure 6 is an isometric View showing an end portion of apparatusapplied at the peak of a gable end of a house.

Referring to the drawings, the embodiment which is here chosen forillustrating the invention shows a scaffold Ill suspended in ordinarymanner by tackle I2 from the eye I4 of a staging hanger bow it whoseupper limb I8 is secure in a trolley carriage 20 that runs on a track 22lying on the wooden sleeper 24 which rests on the edge portion of a roof26. The staging hanger it is a stiff bar of round iron or other metal inthe general shape of a U lying on its side, so that the eye I4 where theweight of the scaffold is applied is directly under that part of theother end of this hanger bow which is secured at the middle of thetwo-wheel trolley, and incidentally, is directly under the line of thetwo wheels 2l thereof and rail 22 which constitutes the track on whichthe trolley runs. That rail may conveniently be made of 3A, iron gaspipe secured on the sleeper Z4 by screw bolts 23 which are set in thesleeper and are threaded through both sides, crossing the axis of therail thus constituted.

As the tackle holding the scaffold is hooked through the eye I4 allstresses resulting from the load are imposed vertically on the rail. 22and, through bolts 23 and sleeper 24, are imposed vertically on the edgeportion of the roo-f, which is approximately directly over the wall, sothat the Vertical component of the stress imposed by the scaffold iscarried by the wall without any tendency to break out or buckle the wallor to impose undue stress on the rafters of the roof. The componentwhich must be considered as being resolved parallel to the roof isresisted either by brackets 25 as illustrated in Figures 5 and 4 or byridge ties (not shown) which may extend from the eye bolts 27 that areset in the sleeper, being ropes which may extend to hooks that are wellknown for engaging beyond the ridge or may extend to chimney or otherfastening at higher location on the roof. In the particular embodimentchosen for illustration it is assumed that the roof has asphaltshingles, and these being iiexible can be turned up as at 28 so thatbrackets 25 can be held by nails driven through the holes 23, best seenin Figure 3, into roof boards and preferably into rafters. These holeshave extension slots so that the brackets cannot hop out at the head ofthe nail; but when the brackets are removed the nails can be driven homeand the shingles turned down into normal position. But on a roof whosesurface is of tile, sla-te, wood or other inflexible material, orgravel, ties from the eye-bolts 2 would be used. By either arrangementthe sleeper and rail-track are made secure against slipping off the edgeof the roof; and this is accomplished without any permanent bracket orfixture on the roof.

The sleeper, bracket and trolley are adapted to be secured on a roof ofany pitch by reason of the truncated triangular cross-section of thesleeper 2li for which an angle of 221/2o is suggested between the topside, shown horizontal in Figure 2, and the bottom side which rests onthe bracket at the angle of pitch of the roof. In the case of a roofhaving 22%o pitch the plane of the trolley wheel 2I running or standingon its track 22 will be vertical through the track, and the deep groovesof the wheels, approximately semi-circular and resting on the rail 22,will hold the wheels from lateral displacement, particularly since theforces co-ming from the scaffold pass through the loose joint I4vertically under the rail and wheels, and any lateral force applied tothe scaffold I will not be transmitted higher than the loose `oint I4and so cannot reach the trolley. If the roof be steeper as in Figure 4,at 26', the peculiar cylindrical shape of the gas pipe rail 22 permitsthe same relation of verticaiity of wheels over rails to exist, althoughthe angle of the top side of the sleeper is now 2.21/2o from thehorizontal, pitching outward. And the same would be true if the roofwere horizontal, in which case the top surface of the sleeper wouldpitch inward, but without disturbing the secure position of the wheelson the rail.

The rail 22 constitutes a track on which they trolley can run lengthwiseof the wall as far as the track extends. The apparatus is adapted forapplication to walls of any length by making the sleeper and track insections, for which convenient lengths are ten feet, five feet and twoand one-half feet, which can be coupled together endwise by any suitablemeans. The means illustrated is a stout U-loop 3@ whose two stub endportions can be dropped loosely into inclined holes provided for them inthe front faces of adjoining sections. The coupling loop is safely heldso by gravity, but, being loose, it can be easily lifted out. Forfurther assuring smooth continuity of rail sections an axial pin 32 isfixed in one end of the hollow of each rail section, as a tenon to enterthe end hollow of the adjoining rail sectionl Sleeper sections which areat the ends of the track have end-barrier stop-posts 36, with weldedeyes 3S to which tackle may be attached for drawing the trolley alongthe track by ropes leading from the scaffold, as the rope 40 seen inFigure 5.

But by a pivoted latch 44, controlled from the scaffold by' a cord 46,the trolley can be locked in any position along the track where a holeor socket 42 is provided in the sleeper. For protecting the rope illfrom wear an edge roller 48 may be installed on a very wide U-bond,which connects the end section to its end post in addition to such otherfastening 49 as may be provided. The rail and other iron parts arepreferably gal- Vanized.

Although no reason appears why any force originating below should pullthe trolley from its track, de-railing might occur from an obstacle onthe track;` for protective means the guard rail 34 is secured on thefront face of the sleeper and projects above it far enough to catch andstop a trolley wheel 2| if it should be de-railed. This guard may beheld secure on the sleeper by any means, but the drawing particularlyillustrates light and strong enclosing straps of steel 54 which, bybundling the .guard rail and sleeper together and being secured to themtightly by screws, prevent any sepaarting of the two, and renderharmless any splitting of the wood of either.

The trolley 25 has a frame which is parallel to the track, comprisingtwo strong side bars, welded into a continuous unit, supporting betweenthem the shafts G on which are the wheels 2l. The upper limb I8 of thebow hanger is mounted on the trolley at a mid-position between the twowheels. Preferably it can turn there, and is slidable in and out,securable at desired extent of projection from the trolley by anysuitable means, as by acollar 52 on it between the bars, with screw forsetting the collar tight at whatever degree of projecting of the limb I8is desired. At its inner end, beyond the trolley, the limb l 8 of thehanger bow has two further safety devices, viz, a strong downwardprojecting claw or prong 5I, and the ring 53 from which a tie-back lifeline 55 may extend. Then if the trolley becomes de-railed the wheel willbe stopped from sliding off the roof by the guard rail 34, assuming thatthe derailment is on the outer side; and the claw 5| will dig into thesleeper, or will engage behind the rail 22, or both; and, if for anycause these should not save the situation, the tie-back life rope 55would do so after a short fall has occurred.

To permit travel of the trolley along its track such a life line shouldhave some slack, whether this line runs directly to a roof Xture, or toa pulley for travel along a loop of rope extending along the roofbetween xtures (not shown). Therefore the line 55, leading from ring 53to the fixture or pulley (not shown) to which it runs for security, mayif desired, pass through block and tackle for changing its effectivelength, and be led thence down to the scaffold for convenient control.

For setting the apparatus to operate along the steep pitch of a roof,from the peak of a gable downward, there must be abundant security ofattachment of the sleeper. This is instantly and conveniently providedby means of the ridge hook 64 and its coupling prong 52 for entering ahole 6G provided through the end section and end plates, as seen in planin Figure 3. The hole is large enough to receive loosely this prong 52,upstanding from the shank in the plane of a hook which can engage beyondthe ridge. as seen in Figure 6. To accommodate the shank of a hookwithout th-e sleeper being made unsteady by resting on it. a groovemight be made in the bottom of the sleeper; but I avoid such a specialconstruc-tion by providing on the hook a pillow for stabilizing thesleeper, comprising the cross bar 63 which extends from the hook shankin direction perpendicular to the plane of the hook and which underliesthe full width of the sleeper'. When thus installed, and secured bybrackets or b-y ties to prevent the sleeper being moved off the edge,the Aperson on the scaiold can move the trolley up and down the entireheight and width yof the roof, as far as the track extends; and by usinga similar apparatus on the opposite slope, and adjusting the elevationof the scaffold by its supporting tackle, can cover the whole end of thebuilding. The ability of the upper limb of the hanger bow to turn in itsbearing in the trolley allows that bow to hang vertically down even whenthe track and trolley are inclined up the steep slope of the gable, andthis maintains the distribution of weight evenly on the two wheels.

When the trolley is thus on a slope it is a feature of safety to set thelatch 44 under the upper limb I8 of the hanger bow, as illustrated inFigures 1 and 5, for it is thus confined within a range of movementwhence it can always catch in a socket 42 upon the rope 46 b-eingreleased. But this latch may, if desired be initially set pointing theother way from its pivot, especially when the track is level, and whenso set it is still true that a gentle short pull on its cord 46 willlift it from its socket and leave it in position for latching again bygravity when released; but a sharp pull can throw it over its pivot sothat it lies across the top of the upper limb I8, and is out of action,a condition sometimes convenient. A like sharp pull will restore it toactive position.

One or more trolleys may be used on the same track; and they can beprevented from spreading apart too far by a tie between them as at 56;and can be kept apart by the tackle attached to their opposite ends; andcan be adjusted in position together along the wall by pulling on eitherend which is appropriate. The rollers on the scaffold beams may be madeto run horizontally along the wall, if desired.

In setting the apparatus for use the sleeper may ordinarily be set abouttwo or three inches from the edge of a pitch roof, or be set flush withthe edge of ya flat roof having no overhang. While v suitable tie backsmay be used as precautions for abnormal events, lthe weight of thescaifold, suspended from the loose link joint at the eye I4, acts onlydownward on the lower end of the bow, and is imposed practicallystraight under the track; so that the resulting down pull on the wheelsis straight to the center of the track. Even if the bow be cantedoutward, as when a roof has no overhang, the trolley wheels will becanted to an equal angle around the side of the rail. As far as thetrolley is concerned the pull is always straight against the track. Thetrack, in turn, rests in continuous intimate contact on the sleeper, andthe sleeper likewise on the roof. The scaffold suspension structuretherefore is organized so that the weight of scaffold with its riggingand load carried imposes no bending or sheering stresses on the rail orsleeper, but only crushing stresses; and, as these are considerablydistributed over the roof, very light pieces, as ordinary wood and gaspipe, have sufficient strength. The making of the rail hollow, with tapbolt engaging both walls of the hollow to secure it, provides a rail ofadequate strength which both is light, is` strongly fastened, and can bestrongly coupled endwise. In the sleeper, the truncating of thetriangular cross section disposes the weight of whatever material ispresent in the Wood so that a given weight of wood produces greaterthickness and therefore yields greater `resistance to splitting, and sopermits adequate strength to be attained with less weight. In practicalexperience a ten foot section of sleeper and rail may weigh onlytwenty-two pounds.

I claim as my invention:

1. A device for temporary application to a roof for scaiold suspension,comprising the combination of a portable sleeper adapted to lieremovably over, on and along the edge portion of the roof without aid ofattaching means permanently incorporated in the building at the edge ofthe roof; said sleeper having along its upper face a track rigidthereon; a trolley with all ci its supporting wheels in single line onthat track; and, depending from the trolley, a stiff bow hanger fromwhich the scaiold may be suspended. v

2. A device for temporary application to a roof for scaffold suspension,comprising the combination of a portable sleeper adapted to lieremovably over, on and along the edge portion of the roof without aid ofattaching means permanently incorporated in the building at the edge ofthe roof; said sleeper having along its upper face a track, rigidthereon, whose tread face is curved in cross section; a trolley, withall of its supporting wheels in single line on that track; the treadfaces of those wheels being of shape t to run on that track in any ofdiverse angular positions about the axis of the track; the transversepitch of the sleeper upper-face, which has the track, being at an angleto the transverse pitch of the sleeper under-face, which is toward theroof, said angle being of the class which ranges between 0 and 45, withoptimum at 221/2", and, depending from the trolley, a stiff bow hangerfrom which the scaffold may be suspended.

3. A device for scaffold suspension, as in claim 1, in which the sleeperhas a guard rail rising above its outer edge, normally free from contactwith the trolley, for catching a dislodged trolley.

4. A device for scaffold suspension, as in claim 1, in which the sleeperhas a guard rail rising above its outer edge for catching a. dislodgedtrolley; the sleeper and guard rail being of wood, bound by metal strapties which surround them.

5. A device for scaffold suspension, as in claim l, in which the sleeperis divided into sections laid end to end, and there are couplingscomprising stiff, metal, open-ended loops set loosely into downwardsockets at adjoining ends of sections.

6. A device for scaffold suspension as in claim 1, in which the track isa stiff metallic bar which rests on the sleeper in a contact therewithwhich is approximately continuous along the edge of 7. A device forscaffold suspension as in claim 1, in which the track is a sti metallicbar which has a round top exceeding of curvature, for the trolley Wheelsto stand vertical on the rail thus constituted although the sleeper belying on roofs having various degrees of inclination from thehorizontal.

8. A device for scaffold suspension as in claim 1, in which the track isa bar constituting a trolley rail which is cylindrical exteriorly and ishollow and is in sections coupled endwise together and having at thecouplings interior pins iixed in one section and removably fitting intothe hollow of the adjoining section.

9. A device for scaffold suspension as in claim 1, in which the track isa bar constituting a trolley rail which is cylindrical exteriorly and ishollow, and there are anchorage bolts through the sleeper tapped intoboth walls which surround the hollow of the rail.

10. A device for scaffold suspension as in claim 1, wherein the track isa round topped bar constituting a trolley rail, and the trolley wheel isdeeply grooved with around concave tread, and the other parts of thetrolley and the hanger therefrom are at a distance from the upper partof the rail sufficient to provide clearance permitting the trolley andhanger to stand in various inclinations from the rail, to accommodatesuspension on roofs of diverse pitch.

l1. A device for scaifold suspension as in claim l, in which the trolleyhas two wheels, arranged tandem on the track, and has a frame carried bythose wheels, comprising two horizontal bars, between which the wheelsare closely enclosed, the said stii bow hanger having its upper limbengaged slidably across said bars, with fastening means to hold itwithout cross slip.

12. A device for scaffold suspension as in claim 1, in which the trolleyhas two wheels arranged tandem on the track, and has a frame carried bythose wheels, comprising two horizontal bars, between which the wheelsare closely enclosed, the said stii bow hanger having its upper limbmounted on said bars with provision for its rotary turning adjustmentthereon about the axis of said limb.

13. A device for scaffold suspension as in claim 1, in which the trolleyhas a latch, and the sleeper has notches in which the latch may engage;and means, adapted to manipulate the latch, extends from the latch tothe scaiold.

le. A device for scaffold suspension as in claim 1, in which the trolleyhas a latch, and the sleeper has notches in which the latch may engage;and means, adapted to manipulate the latch, extends from the latch tothe scaffold; said latch being a lever whose one end is adapted toengage a said notch, and whose other end has the said manipulatingmeans; this lever being fulcrumed on the side of the trolley, with its`latch arm extending across the position of the upper limb of the hangerbow, and with its other end offset to the iront of the sleeper to swingpast the fulcrum and thus to reverse the direction in which the latcharm extends and so to rest inactive on the said limb.

15. A device for scaffold suspension as in claim 1, in which the hangerbow has a claw at the end of its upper limb, directed downward,positioned for catching on the sleeper when the trolley is de-railed.

16. A device for scaffold suspension as in claim 1, furthercharacterized for use on a gable end, by being combined with a hook,whose hook arm is adapted to engage down beyond the ridge oi a pitchroof and whose shank has a prong, up-

turned in the plane of the hook, adapted to hook through an end portionof the said sleeper, thereby tohold the sleeper on an inclined edge ofgable.

1'7. A device for scaffold suspension as in claim 1, furthercharacterized for use on a gabie end, by being combined with a hookwhose hook arm is adapted to engage down, beyond the ridge of a pitchroo-f and whose shank has a prong, upturned, in the plane of the hook,adapted to hook through an end portion of the said sleeper, thereby tohold the sleeper on an inclined edge of gable; and whose said shank hasalso `a cross beam, perpendicular to the planeof the hook, and in aplane with the shank, to pillow the end portion cf the said sleeper.

ERNEST L. LOOMIS.

